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Northwest ER-7 Shows Gains In Patient Satisfaction

Posted Jun 18 2010 12:00am

At 7:05 a.m. on Wednesday, June 16, Northwest Hospital’s ER-7 saw its 60,000th patient since July 1 of last year. If current trends continue, the ER will see about 62,380 patients in a year’s time, a new record for the hospital. There’s no question that the Randallstown community has grown, increasing the demand for emergency medical services, and we're constantly striving to improve the ER patient's experience.

Northwest’s current ER was built 7 years ago and was designed to accommodate 50,000 patients a year. Though the emergency department is busy, the staff takes measures to ensure that patients don’t feel the pinch.

Through the creation of a Rapid Evaluation Unit (REU), in which patients are quickly screened by a health care provider and directed to one of seven ER care centers, average waiting time to see a physician has decreased by half. For people in the main waiting room, a guest relations representative makes sure they have what they need, whether it be a blanket, something to read or more information about their loved one. Since 2006, patient satisfaction with the Northwest ER has increased three-fold.

Last June, Northwest’s ER was designated as a Primary Stroke Center by MIEMMS . This means that ambulances will bring patients who present with stroke symptoms to Northwest when it is the nearest Primary Stroke Center. With a stroke, time to treatment is of the utmost importance, and now that stroke patients now are able to be seen more quickly at Northwest, lives will be saved and qualities of life improved.

“Our hospital and community are better off for the commitment [the ER staff has] made to providing top notch care to those who need us in times of emergency,” say Erik Wexler , president of Northwest Hospital.